Christ's Commandments: The Greatest Commandment; Love

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12

"Greater love hath no man than this..."

The courts of temple were fuller than usual. People normally gathered whenever Jesus Christ was reaching, but this gathering was different. The Jews gathered together, not only to see the rumored messiah, but also to hear the furious accusations of the Pharisees, who were determined to destroy Him.

Their plan was simple, if they asked Jesus Christ some of their most controversial questions, they could get Him to offend part of the crowd and turn the people against Him. Their plan would have succeeded against any other man, but Christ was wiser than all of them. "Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?" He asked.

Perhaps we should be thankful for their questions. Their every accusation opened the savior's store of wisdom yet again. Finally frustrated, one Pharisee asked, "Master, Which is the great commandment in the law?" Rather than study the commandments to grow closer to God, they studied to discover loopholes in them. The idea of the commandments having a hierarchy of importance where some could be ignored, appealed to the Pharisees.

Christ's answer still rings across the ages. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." In this thirty second sermon, Jesus Christ established the perfect summary of what God expects of us. The commandments weren't just rules anymore, they were a means to an end. That end is love.

Love is the End and the Beginning of the Commandments

Jesus Christ taught that love was the principle which upheld all of the commandments. Whoever loved God the most would obey His commandments the most. An increase in obedience to the commandments gives us greater love for God, which in turn gives us more of a desire to obey. Thus, if we increase our obedience to the commandments, we will create a self-fueling desire to improve our lives, escape destructive habits, and maintain happiness no matter what our circumstances may be.

Beyond increasing our love for God, God will fill our lives with blessings if we are obedient. The Book of Mormon teaches this principle best: "I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you." We can see from the scriptures that God rewards us far beyond what we 'earn' through obedience.

To love God with all of our effort and to love men like ourselves is difficult, but essential if we want to experience the blessings God has in store for us. The importance of charity (the pure love of Christ) is expressed by Paul in the Holy Bible. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

"Our love grows as the commandments color who we are

In short, the commandments are all about love. Our love for God and our neighbor will naturally lead us to apply the commandments to our lives. As long as we're seeking to increase in love and understanding, we will draw closer and closer to achieving all of God's commandments.

I have experienced this love in my life already. I know that God has been good to me and he has blessed me for the commandments I have already mastered. I know that He is supporting me day by day and He will continue to support me, even until the day I pass from this life and see his face, and know that He is my God and my Heavenly Father.

Christ's Commandments: Baptism

"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5

"Fulfill all righteousness."

Late one evening, Jesus Christ had a visitor. A man named Nicodemus had heard of Christ's miracles and teachings, and he wanted to meet Him. He recognized that Jesus had to be a man of God, for no evil man could do the good He was doing.

Nicodemus must have been excited for his personal interview with Jesus, but little did he know, he was the one going to be interviewed. In solemn simplicity, Christ declared that a man could not enter God's kingdom without being born of water and the spirit. Nicodemus was shocked, the common belief of the time was that Baptism was not needed for the Jews (God's first covenant people), but Jesus Christ declared that it was an essential requirement for all people! Even Christ Himself, being the only incorruptible man on the earth, chose to be baptized so that He could "fulfill all righteousness."

Several thousand years have past since Jesus Christ's life. Baptism is still a central part of Christianity, but some Christian groups no longer believe that it's necessary for salvation. Nevertheless, Christ's words to Nicodemus still stand.

Why is Baptism Essential for Eternal Life?

Baptism is the first ordinance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. An ordinance is simply a sacred ceremony where we make a promise with God. When we make a promise with God, He sets the terms and we're free to hold to our promise and receive the blessings, or neglect our promise and be held accountable. The greatest blessings God has in store for us can only be received when we make promises to Him and Baptism is the first of these promises we can make.

Baptism is essential for several reasons. When we're baptized by the priesthood authority of God, the sins of the past are washed away. This is not just a one time cleansing, but a continual cleansing that we renew every time we take The Sacrament worthily. Baptism is also one of God's Commandments for us. Christ was baptized because He knew it was God's will and He was willing to obey all of God's Commandments.

Although being baptized at all shows God our desire to follow Him, God has specific standards for those who want to fulfill His Commandments. To be baptized according to God's standards, He requires that we work to give up our knowingly sinful behaviors and follow Jesus Christ until the end of our lives. He also requires that the person baptizing us needs to have the Priesthood, which is authority and power from God to baptize. Without that authority, we can't be cleansed from sin or fulfill God's Commandment to be baptized.

What Happens to People Who Die Before Being Baptized?

Jesus Christ teaches that Baptism is necessary to enter the Kingdom of God, however, most of the people who have lived on the earth never had the chance to be baptized, let alone by the Priesthood. In order to give everyone the opportunity to be saved, God has established an ordinance called "Baptism for the Dead." Baptism for the Dead means that faithful members of The Church can be baptized in the Temple for their dead ancestors and for people of other faiths. Once the work has been done for them, the spirits of the dead have the decision whether to accept that Baptism or not.

Although God has prepared this wonderful safety net, we should not use this as a reason to be slothful. Baptism for the Dead is for those who never had a chance to be Baptized by the Priesthood. If we know without a doubt that Baptism is necessary for us, but neglect our responsibility and aren't baptized, we will not receive a second chance.

"It only takes five seconds."

Ideas For Living This Commandment

We should all repent and be baptized! If we've been baptized, we need to take The Sacrament and renew that promise with God! If we do this, we will be cleansed from our sins and be free from that burden. We will discover a better life with Christ and we will have greater motivation to follow Him.

If you are concerned in any way at all about your baptism or are interested in being baptized by the Priesthood, come to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I've received a witness of the Priesthood, and I know that you can receive this witness too.

Christ's Commandments: The Sacrament

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins..."
Matthew 26:28

"No, I'm not literally feeding you with flesh and blood, it's symbolic."

The Last Supper may have been the most uncomfortable dinner party in history. It all began when Jesus Christ asked His Disciples to find a room to celebrate the Passover feast in. They must have been excited, but they quickly learned that this was going to be no cozy meal. Jesus announced that He would soon be betrayed to His death. All of the Apostles were saddened by this news except for Judas, who was more annoyed that Jesus knew what he was planning.

It was in this solemn atmosphere that Jesus decided to begin the real meal of the occasion. He shredded a loaf of bread and then, after the Apostles ate from it, He passed around a cup of wine. This, He declared, was the "blood of the new testament," or the new promise which they would make with God. It was a symbol designed to remind them of His death and the meaning it would have for the world. Ever since that fateful night, Christians all over the world have continued that essential supper, hoping to remember Christ and the price that He paid soon after it was finished.

Why Do Christians Still Eat and Drink The Sacrament?

The Sacrament (sometimes also called Communion) is a symbol of Jesus Christ and His Sacrifice. It's a reminder of His sacrifice in The Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross. Jesus Christ's sacrifice and later return to life is called The Atonement, and it's the only way to be reconciled with God. Thus, eating The Sacrament is a way to express gratitude for Jesus Christ's sacrifice.

Jesus Christ explained that The Sacrament is necessary to receiving eternal life. "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54)" After His death and Resurrection, the Apostle Paul added a solemn warning about The Sacrament. "...let a man examine himself... For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. (1 Corintians 28-29)" It is clear in The Holy Bible that The Sacrament is extremely important, but it doesn't explain how.

Fortunately, there was another people Christ taught about The Sacrament. They lived on the opposite side of the world, far out of the knowledge of the Jewish people. They kept their own record, which is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. That record was The Book of Mormon.

What Does The Book of Mormon Teach About The Sacrament?

The Nephite people were living on the American continent around the time of Christ's death. They had prophets of their own who taught them the Commandments and testified of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. After Christ's death, a massive storm struck the American continent and covered the land with darkness. After His Resurrection and work among the Jews was complete, Christ Himself appeared to the Nephites and revealed His Gospel to them. While He visited them, He further explained many elements of His gospel, including Baptism and The Sacrament.

Jesus Christ explained: "...[The Sacrament] doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you. And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you." (3 Nephi 18:10-11)

The Book of Mormon reveals the connection between Baptism and The Sacrament. When we are baptized by priesthood authority,  we make a promise to God to obey His Commandments and do our best to live a good life. With baptism comes the promise that as long as we're worthy, we can always have The Holy Spirit with us. The full purpose of The Sacrament is to renew the promise made at Baptism, which cleanses us from sin and allows us to always have the Holy Spirit's guidance. With this context, we can better understand The New Testament scriptures. The Sacrament is essential for eternal life because it is how keep our remission of sins after Baptism. Paul's warning about The Sacrament was for people who were baptized, but no longer met the basic standards for Baptism.

"Oh, it's symbolic!"

Ideas for Living This Commandment

Repent and be Baptized!
Baptism is what starts us on the journey to eternal happiness. Without being Baptized, The Sacrament can't purify us or fill us with the Holy Spirit.

Attend Church Regularly and Take The Sacrament
When we make that consistent effort each week to take The Sacrament, we show Jesus Christ that we want to follow His example. We receive that refreshing spirit, which braces us and prepares us for the trials and challenges of the week.

Visit The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
When we need a doctor or a police officer, we hope they have authority and that they are properly trained for their job. Likewise, when we take The Sacrament, we hope that the men blessing and passing it are authorized servants of Jesus Christ. The Sacrament always reminds us of Jesus Christ, but there's something special about it when it's blessed and passed by God's Priesthood authority. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only church on earth today that has the Priesthood and that authority invites a special spirit into the meeting. I would invite everyone to come and experience that feeling for themselves. I know you will be impressed with what you experience.